Harbor Freight Shop Crane

[Ryan_M]

I recently picked up a 1-ton Pittsburgh shop crane at Harbor Freight. So far I am very impressed with it. Regular price was $189.99 but I used a 20% off coupon so I walked out with it for about $150. Assembly was reasonably straightforward. Some of the bolts sizes did not match what was listed in the instructions but I was able to make it work with what came in the box. One reviewer on the Harbor Freight website summed it up with something to the effect of "...if you can't figure out how to assemble this crane you probably shouldn't be pulling a motor." He's right.

The hoist is made from heavy gauge steel with solid cast wheels.� I've pulled one engine with it already and see it being very useful around the garage for other chores (removing /installing transmission in the M38, loading heavy items into the back of my pick-up, etc). The legs fold up when not in use so it really doesn't occupy a lot of valuable garage space when you don't want it to.

What's better is that a few days ago I found a coupon for the same crane for $99. I brought the coupon and my receipt back to the store and they refunded me the 50 bucks right out of the register. Pretty slick. (I immediately blew the $50 on other stuff at Harbor Freight but that's a different story.)

I have lived and worked in China and am no stranger to the manufacturing industry there. With that said, I still can't compute how somewhere this crane is built, painted, decaled, packaged, shipped to a US warehouse, put on a truck from that warehouse to the store, stocked on a shelf, and then wheeled from that shelf out to my truck by a store employee....all for $99.

I'm sure there are better quality cranes for more industrial uses but for a shade tree mechanic like me this has got to be one of the best values out there.

Here it is after successfully pulling the Doodlebug motor.

[1955CJ-5]

I have lived and worked in China and am no stranger to the manufacturing industry there. With that said, I still can't compute how somewhere this crane is built, painted, decaled, packaged, shipped to a US warehouse, put on a truck from that warehouse to the store, stocked on a shelf, and then wheeled from that shelf out to my truck by a store employee....all for $99.

I have often marveled at that.....I would guess that if you went out to the street and looked at the man-hole covers, you would see that they were made in India...

I suppose shipping is more by volume than weight....still it's pretty amazing...

[Mike_Anne]

If it were not for Harbor Freight my shop would have a lot less equipment. I have been happy with most everything I get at HF. Replacement parts for HF equipment are easy to get and the price is right. I would rather spend my money on my Jeep than high dollar tools. I am not making a living with my tools any more, just having fun and HF fits the need.

[NoCoWillys]

I would tend to agree with the tools at HF. However, I have found from time to time my local Ace Hardware (whom I've spent way to much with on bolts...) has sales on the good name brand stuff for cheaper than HF.  The last time my angle grinder (arguably the most used and useful too in a restoration) died, I was about to get a replacement at HF when Ace had the newer model of my dewalt on sale for half the cost of HF.  Pays to shop around.  For the average shade tree mechanic, HF is about the only affordable way.

[Ryan_M]

I am still highly skeptical of any of Harbor Freight's electrical or motorized tools. Drills, grinders, generators, etc are probably worth spending a little more for and getting name brand stuff. For the simpler tools� - jacks, presses, cranes, stands, creepers and the like, HF is pretty tough to beat.

[p3ferris]

In the past I bought 4' tool grinders from the same place HF did.  I had to buy 10 at a shot. $63.  Use them right and they last a long time.  I have yet gone through 1, so sold the other 9 and all are still in use. I gave them instructions how to use them.  It is touch, touch, touch.  Not GrinnnnnnnedD.  They cut into the metal faster that way too.

[1955CJ-5]

I bought the HF 39.99 electric nibbler for 18ga steel.....The next option was a Bosh for around $370....so I could have bought nearly 10 for the price of the Bosh, and the HF nibbler is still going strong....worked like it was cutting butter....

But, at the same time I bought a pneumatic random orbital sander, and it didn't work well at all...you needed to hand start it...but they took it back...

[johnrb3b]

My buddy John (the other John) bought a HF shop crane which worked quite well until the piston seals on the cylinder started leaking. Now you have to pump it up every few minutes to keep something hanging at the height you want.

A replacement cylinder is almost as much as the whole thing cost. Sigh.
Otherwise, we've both had pretty good luck with HF tools.

[F Bill]

I've got a similar Chinese crane, and a couple of homebuilt A frames. Both have their uses.. The main problem I have had with the folding cranes is the wheels.. Make sure everything is regularly checked for tightness. Their hardware is less than optimal. Toss some good bolts and casters on it and it is pretty foolproof and hard to kill. If your floor isn't smooth or you want to use it in gravel or dirt....try something else.

Also be aware of extending the boom to the point where things get tippy. It is easy to do...and once things start to go they go in a hurry!

I really like the controllability of my chainfall on the old A frame I got at the scrapyard, but it adds such a Sanford and Son vibe to the neighborhood some folks might get all upset seeing one in suburbia.  I'm in Texas where tractors drive past several times a day so nobody has said anything yet.

[SteveW]

Harbor Freight is too far away for me but I have a Northern Tool within 2 miles so same stuff. I was fortunate they had a combo hoist and engine stand that took up only footprint of the hoist. You can remove the stand when needed. They only had them for a short while many years ago so I was happy to have spotted it as I only have a 1 car garage. I am like most of you as far as hobby tools go buying the lower cost stuff to last long enough for the project. My work as an electrical contractor is buying best I can afford because saving time is making money.

[PaulS]

I got mine at Princess Auto (Canada's version of HF--much of the stuff comes from the same factories, I'm sure.)  My crane was the store brand ("Power Fist"), and looked a bit different than yours.

Mine was missing the instructions altogether.  Took a few minutes of thinking to put the right bolts/pins in the right places, but I'd agree that if you can't figure that out, you shouldn't be pulling a motor!  (IIRC, it would have been faster, but I had put one bolt in a different place, and forgot about it.)

-Paul